Oklahoma Horizon TV Show 1303

HERE IS WHAT'S COMING UP ON YOUR HORIZON.
ROB MCCLENDON: BY THE TIME THE CLASS OF 2013'S CHILDREN ARE THEMSELVES IN
COLLEGE, OUR COUNTRY WILL, AT THE VERY LEAST, LOOK VERY DIFFERENT.
MORE THAN HALF OF ALL BABIES BORN LAST YEAR WERE MEMBERS OF MINORITY
GROUPS, THE FIRST TIME IN U S HISTORY.
IT'S A SIGN OF HOW SWIFTLY THE USA IS BECOMING A NATION OF YOUNGER
MINORITIES AND OLDER WHITES.
TODAY OUR FOCUS IS ON OUR COUNTRY'S CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE
IMPACT IT HAS ON EVERYTHING FROM OUR SCHOOLS TO OUR ECONOMY.
STAY WITH US FOR OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
MALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA'S INVESTMENT IN CAREERTECH PROVIDES MORE
THAN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND TRAINING, IT PRODUCES
SOLID FINANCIAL RETURNS FOR THE STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE;
OKLAHOMA CAREERTECH, ELEVATING OUR ECONOMY.
ANNOUNCER: AND, THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY,
HELPING GOOD PEOPLE GROW GOOD THINGS.
AND NOW, FROM THE CAREERTECH STUDIOS IN STILLWATER, HERE'S YOUR
HOST, ROB MCCLENDON.
ROB MCCLENDON: HELLO EVERYONE; THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE ON
HORIZON.
WELL AMERICA WAS BUILT BY IMMIGRANTS WHO CONVERGED FROM AROUND THE WORLD
LOOKING FOR A BETTER LIFE.
OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, WE HAVE WITNESSED A STEADY GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF
FOREIGN-BORN RESIDENTS, FROM RIGHT AT EIGHT PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION
IN 1990, TO OVER THIRTEEN PERCENT IN 2010.
IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE BROWNING OF AMERICA, DUE TO THE FACT THAT OVER THE
PAST TWENTY YEARS, OVER HALF OF THOSE NEW RESIDENTS ARE FROM LATIN
AMERICA.
IN FACT, THE BIG SURPRISE FOR MANY IN THE LATEST CENSUS WAS JUST HOW
QUICKLY OUR LATINO POPULATION HAS GROWN.
AND NOWHERE HAS THE GROWTH BEEN MORE DRAMATIC THAN IN TEXAS.
SO WE HEADED DOWN I-35 TO LOOK AT HOW CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS ARE CHANGING
AMERICA.
[MUSIC].
ROB: IT'S FIESTA TIME IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS.
AND POLICE SARGENT JAMES WARNER IS WALKING HIS BEAT, PATROLING A CITY IN
A STATE WHERE AS A WHITE MALE, HE IS IN THE MINORITY.
JAMES WARNER: I GREW UP HERE AND PICKED UP A LITTLE SPANISH ALONG THE
WAY.
BUT IT'S BEEN A PREDOMINATELY HISPANIC, LATIN, MEXICAN CULTURE.
IT'S A WONDERFUL CULTURE!
IT'S VERY PLEASANT, VERY LOVING, VERY FAMILY ORIENTED, VERY STRONG
FAMILIES.
ROB: WHILE TEXAS MAY HAVE WON IT'S INDEPENCE FROM MEXICO IN 1836, HERE IN
THE ALAMO CITY MEXICAN INFLUENCE ALWAYS REMAINED.
[MUSIC].
ROB: EVERYTHING FROM THE LOCAL CULTURE TO THE LOCAL CUISINE SCREAMS, TEX- MEX
(WHEW).
[MARIACHI MUSIC].
ROB: NOW IF THIS PLATE OF QUESADILLAS WAS TEXAS, ROUGHLY HALF IS NOW
HISPANIC.
BUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT NUMBER IS NOW AT 64 PERCENT.
AND MANY BELIEVE AS SAN ANTONIO GOES, SO GOES TEXAS.
AND AS TEXAS GOES, SO GOES THE NATION.
OCTAVIO HINOJOSA: WE DID NOT CROSS THE BORDER, THE BORDER CROSSED US.
ROB: OCTAVIO HINOJOSA IS WITH SAN ANTONIO'S HISPANIC CHAMBER.
HINOJOSA: WE ARE PROBABLY NOW THE SECOND LARGEST SINGLE ETHNIC GROUP IN THE
UNITED STATES AFTER AMERICANS WHO HAVE A GERMAN BACKGROUND.
ROB: A GROWTH FUELD MORE BY HIGHER BIRTH RATES IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY, THAN
BY IMMIGRATION.
HINOJOSA: WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE UNITED STATES HISPANIC COMMUNITY IS THE
15TH LARGEST CONSUMER MARKET IN THE WORLD.
ROB: WITH AN ECONOMIC PURCHASING POWER OF OVER ONE TRILLION DOLLARS AND
GROWING.
HINOJOSA: SO THERE STILL IS A VERY STRONG POTENTIAL OF FURTHER GROWTH, BECAUSE
WE ARE STILL A VERY YOUNG POPULATION, A THIRD OF THE U S HISPANIC POPULATION IS
STILL UNDER THE AGE OF 18, AND HAS YET TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE.
AND SO WE BASICALLY ARE WITNESSING IS A SECOND VERSION OF A BABY BOOM IF
YOU WILL.
ROB: WHICH DOES PRESENT ITS OWN SET CHALLENGES ALL ACROSS TEXAS WELCOME TO
CASTLBERRY ELEMENTARY THE EXACT SAME HALLWAYS THAT I WALKED DOWN AS A CHILD.
AND WHILE THEY DO SEEM DECIDEDLY NARROWER THESE DAYS, THE REAL DIFFERENCES
ARE WHEN YOU OPEN THE YEAR BOOK, AND LOOK WHO MAKES UP THE CLASSES.
MEET RENEE SMITH FAULKNER, A CLASS MATE OF MINE, AND NOW THE ASSISTANT
SUPERTINDENT OVER TECHNOLOGY.
SO HOW HAS THE OLD ALMA MATER CHANGED SINCE WE GRADUATED?
RENEE SMITH-FAULKNER: WELL, SOME THINGS HAVE STAYED THE SAME HOWEVER
THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR DEMOGRAPHICS.
AND PROBABLY WHEN I FIRST CAME INTO THIS POSITION IN 2001 WE REPORTED THAT OUR
HISPANIC POPULATION WAS ABOUT 40 PERCENT.
IN OUR LAST SPRING SUBMISSION, WE WERE AROUND 75 PERCENT.
ROB: SO WHAT HAS THAT MEANT FOR INSTRUCTION AND CURRICULUM?
RENEE SMITH-FAULKER: WELL, WE'VE HAD TO CHANGE INSTRUCTION.
WE'VE HAD TO DEFINITELY SEND OUR TEACHERS TO STAFF DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE HAD STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTED DUAL LANGUAGE
PROGRAMS, ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS.
ROB: THAT ARE NOW IN BOTH ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
SCHOOL SUPENTINDENT GARY JONES.
GARY JONES: WE REQUIRED OUR TEACHERS TO HAVE ESL TRAINING, ENGLISH AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE, SO THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND THE TECHNIQUES AND HOW TO
REACH OUT TO THE KIDS, AND REALLY REEDUCATED OUR STAFF.
ONCE WE GOT THAT IN PLACE, THE WE STARTED REALLY WORKING ON OUR PARENTS.
ROB: GOING AS FAR, AS TO OFFER NIGHT CLASSES TO PARENTS WANTING TO LEARN
ENGLISH TOO.
GARY JONES: WE FOUND THE BEST WAY FOR THAT WAS TO ALWAYS INCLUDE THE KIDS.
THEY WOULD BE EXPLAINING TO MOM AND DAD, THIS IS WHAT I AM DOING; THIS IS
HOW I AM DOING IT, AND IT WAS BOTH IN SPANISH AND IN ENGLISH.
ROB: AND WHILE IT HAS TAKEN EFFORT ON EVERYONES PART TO MELD THE TWO
CULTURES, IT HAS ALSO TAKEN SOME NEW MONEY.
GARY JONES: WE ARE A VERY SMALL DISTRICT.
SO YOU DON'T REALLY ANTICIPATE A LOT OF GROWTH.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE EXPERINCED AS OUR COMMUNITY HAS AGED, AND AS
NEW FAMILIES, AS THEY HAVE MOVED OUT, NEW FAMILIES HAVE MOVED IN, AND THOSE
FAMILIES HAVE CHILDREN.
ROB: THE LATEST CENSUS NUMBERS SHOW 7 OF EVERY TEN BIRTHS IN TEXAS ARE
NOW TO MINORITIES, WITH HISPANICS ACCOUNTING FOR 65 PERCENT OF TEXAS'S
BOOMING POPULATION GROWTH.
GARY JONES: WE HAVE PROABABLY GAINED 400 KIDS IN THE LAST 5 TO 6 YEARS,
WHICH MAYNOT BE A LOT FOR A LARGE DISTRICT, BUT WHEN YOU START OFF AT 3,200
KIDS, YOU ADD 400, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
ROB: ESPECIALLY ON THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL; CLASSROOMS BURSTING AT THE
SEAMS, AND SCHOOL BUILDINGS ONCE ADEQUETE, SUDDENLY OBSOLETE.
WELL GROWING UP, THIS OLD PINE TREE WAS RIGHT OUTSIDE MY BEDROOM WINDOW,
AND WHILE THE OLD TREE STILL STANDS, NOT MUCH OF THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD DOES.
IN FACT, MY HOME AS WELL AS OTHERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WERE TORN
DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR A DESPERATELY NEEDED NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ROB: AND WHILE THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD MAY NEVER LOOK THE SAME, THE CHANGES
UNDERWAY, HINOJOSA BELIEVES ONLY MAKES OUR COUNTRY STRONGER.
HINOJOSA: WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY THAT CHANGES WITH EVERY GENERATION.
THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR.
IN FACT IT IS EVEN BETTER BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS OUR COUNTRY IS RENEWED
WITH EVERY GENERATION.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS JUST A MATTER OF LEARNING TO APPRECIATE WHO
WE ARE AS AMERICANS BECAUSE WE ARE CHANGING WITH EVERY GENERATION.
ROB: WELL THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION IN THE U S HAS BEEN GROWING STEADILY OVER
THE PAST TWO DECADES WITH THE LARGEST GROUP OF FOREIGN-BORN COMING FROM
LATIN AMERICA.
BUT MORE AND MORE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS ARE GETTING A ONE-WAY TICKET
HOME.
THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DEPORTED BY THE UNITED STATES DOUBLED IN
THE PAST DECADE TO ALMOST FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND LAST YEAR.
AND OF THOSE, ALMOST HALF WERE CONVICTED CRIMINALS WHEN WE RETURN, WE FACE
THE FACTS ON SOME SIGNIFICANT DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES HERE AT HOME.
MALE ANNOUNCER: YOU'RE WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON, FEATURING SOME OF THE GOOD
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
ROB: WELL THE UNITED STATES IS OFTEN CALLED A MELTING POT.
BUT IN MANY WAYS, WE'RE MORE OF A RED, WHITE AND BLUE SALAD OF TRADITIONS
AND CONTRADICTIONS.
NOW WHILE WE ARE MORE MULTI-CULTURAL, THERE HAS BEEN A BIG SHIFT IN THE
IMMIGRANT TIDE.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM MEXICO HAS SLOWED SINCE 2005, ENDING WHAT WAS THE
LARGEST IMMIGRATION OF A SINGLE ETHNIC GROUP.
YET, HERE IN OKLAHOMA WE HAVE JUST, IN THE LAST DECADE, BEGUN TO FEEL THE
IMPACT.
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST CENSUS, HISPANICS HAVE OVER TAKEN AMERICAN
INDIANS AS OUR LARGEST ETHNIC MINORITY IF YOU WILL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
SOME NUMBERS.
ACCORDING TO U S CENSUS BUREAU DATA, THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN OKLAHOMA CITY
ALMOST DOUBLED BETWEEN 2000 AND 2010, FROM JUST OVER FIFTY THOUSAND TO NOW
OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS.
AND WHILE FEWER HISPANICS LIVE IN THE TULSA METRO AREA, THAT LATINO
COMMUNITY ALMOST DOUBLED TO FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND IN THE LATEST COUNT.
AND THIS IS JUST NOT AN URBAN PHENOMENON.
GROWTH IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IS PLAYING AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT
ROLE IN RURAL AREAS.
FROM 2000 TO 2010, RURAL COUNTIES IN THE U S INCREASED POPULATION BY
TWO-POINT-TWO MILLION RESIDENTS.
AND OF THOSE, FIFTY-FOUR PERCENT WERE HISPANIC.
BUT THAT TOO COULD BE CHANGING.
ASIANS, AND NOT HISPANICS, ARE NOW THE LEADING CLASS OF IMMIGRANTS HERE INTO
THE U S. ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND ASIAN IMMIGRANTS
ARRIVED IN THE U S IN 2010 COMPARED TO ABOUT THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY
THOUSAND PEOPLE OF HISPANIC ORIGIN.
AND AS WE TOLD YOU EARLIER IN THE SHOW, WITH DEPORTATIONS GROWING UNDER
THE OBAMA ADMINSTRATION, THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS COMING
INTO THE U S IS NOW SMALLER THAN THE NUMBER RETURNING TO THEIR HOME.
NOW TO SEE MORE FACTS JUST LIKE THIS, HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE WERE WE HAVE DAILY
UPDATES FROM FACE THE FACTS USA.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: STILL TO COME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, THE BENEFITS OF BEING
BILINGUAL.
BUT FIRST, THE RULE OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL LONG-TIME, IMMIGRATION ADVOCATE, STATE SENATOR
HARRY COATES, SAYS THE LACK OF A GUEST WORKER PROGRAM IN OKLAHOMA IS
HURTING BUSINESS.
COATES SAYS THE CURRENT OIL BOOM HAS PULLED MANY WORKERS AWAY FROM MINIMUM
WAGE JOBS IN OKLAHOMA'S SMALLER COMMUNITIES FOR MUCH HIGHER-PAYING JOBS
WITH OIL COMPANIES.
AND COATES BELIEVES HAVING A GUEST WORKER PROGRAM IN PLACE WOULD ALLOW THOSE
BUSINESS OWNERS WANTING FOR WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
WITH MORE HERE IS COURTENAY DEHOFF.
COURTENAY: IT'S ESTIMATED THAT NEARLY 12 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS NOW
LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT A GROWING NUMBER OF STATES, INCLUDING OKLAHOMA, ARE PASSING MORE
STRINGENT ANTI-IMMIGRATION LAWS, WHICH, ACCORDING TO SOME IN OKLAHOMA'S
BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HAS HURT OUR ECONOMY.
COURTENAY: WHEN OKLAHOMA LAWMAKERS PASSED THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION
REFORM IN THE NATION.
LAWMAKER: I DECLARE THE SAME TO HAVE PASSED.
COURTENAY: IT WAS MET WITH CONSIDERABLE RELUCTANCE.
LAWMAKER: THIS BILL IS A SHAM.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THERE IS NOT AN AVAILABLE POOL OF LABOR TO
REPLACE THE IMMIGRANT WORKER IN OKLAHOMA.
THERE'S NOT ONE WORD IN THIS BILL THAT'S GOING TO REMOVE.
COURTENAY: AND THOSE FEARS ARE STILL ALIVE AND WELL TODAY.
SENATOR HARRY COATES: WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN OKLAHOMA AS A RESULT OF HOUSE BILL
1804 THAT WE PASSED A FEW YEARS AGO WAS DRIVING AWAY A WILLING A WORKFORCE.
COURTENAY: SENATOR HARRY COATES IS ONE OF A GROWING NUMBER OF LAWMAKERS
WANTING TO REVISE OKLAHOMA'S IMMIGRATION LAW SAYING IT'S BAD FOR
BUSINESS.
COATES: 1804 DROVE OUT A WILLING WORKFORCE THAT DID THOSE JOBS, THOSE JOBS
THAT REQUIRED A LOT OF PHYSICAL LABOR, THAT WAS IN LANDSCAPING,
CONSTRUCTION, TYPICALLY, AND MOSTLY IN ROAD BUILDING AND HOME BUILDING
AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT MACHINES
CANNOT DO.
THE MEDIUM AND HIGH SKILLED EMPLOYEES AREN'T GOING TO DO THOSE JOBS.
THERE IS PLENTY FOR THEM TO DO.
THERE IS NOT A WILLING WORKFORCE IN TODAY'S ECONOMY, IN TODAY'S TIME
TO TAKE THOSE LOW TIERED JOBS.
COURTENAY: COATES SAYS JOBS THAT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH HAVE ABSORBED,
ULTIMATLEY TAKING BUSINESS AWAY FROM OKLAHOMA.
COATES: WE DROVE THEM ACROSS THE RED RIVER TO GO TO WORK FOR TEXAS
COMPANIES THAT DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR LAWS.
THOSE COMPANIES ARE FREE TO COME BACK ACROSS THE RED RIVER AND COMPETE WITH
OKLAHOMA CONTRACTORS THAT DON'T HAVE A WORKFORCE NOW AND TAKE OUR JOBS FROM US.
COURTENAY: BUT THE AUTHOR OF OKLAHOMA'S IMMIGRATION BILL RANDY TERREL
DISAGREES.
RANDY TERREL: THE BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DEFENDING THEIR ABILITY TO
EXPLOIT AND SUBJUGATE AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING GOOD CORPORATE
CITIZENS.
THAT IS WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO.
AND LISTEN, THEY MAKE THESE ARGUMENTS WHICH ARE DISINGENUOUS THAT THESE
ARE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE PERFORMING JOBS THAT NO AMERICAN WANTS TO DO.
AND MY QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE, HOW INSULTING IS THAT?
THE REALITY IS THAT THERE IS NO JOB THAT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN IS NOT WILLING TO
DO.
THEY ARE JUST NOT WILLING TO DO IT AT THE WAGE RATES AND NON EXISTENT BENEFIT
LEVELS THAT ARE BEING PAID TO ILLEGAL ALIENS TO DO THAT WORK.
AND THESE FOLKS WHO, AGAIN, HAVE PROFITED QUITE HANDSOMELY IN MANY CASES
FROM THIS ABUNDANCE OF CHEAP ILLEGAL ALIEN LABOR CONVENIENTLY OVERLOOK THE
FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A COMPETITIVE FREE MARKET ECONOMY.
AND THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF THIS CHEAP ILLEGAL ALIEN LABOR THAT WAGE RATES AND
BENEFIT LEVELS WILL ADJUST UP, TO THE POINT THAT THERE WILL BE AN ABUNDANCE
OF U S CITIZEN WORKERS WHO ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PERFORM THOSE JOBS.
COURTENAY: BUT OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU'S MIKE SPRADLING SAYS THERE ARE
CERTAIN JOBS THAT PUT PLAIN AND SIMPLY; AMERICANS JUST DON'T WANT
TO DO.
AND WITHOUT IMMIGRANT WORKERS WHO ARE WILLING TO GET DIRTY, WE MAY FIND OUR
DINNER TABLES MORE SPARCE WITHOUT THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR.
MIKE SPRADLING: CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, BUT THEY ARE
NOT WILLING TO DO THE WORKS THAT IS REQUIRED IN HARVEST OF CROPS, FRUITS,
AND VEGETABLES THAT WE ALL ACROSS THIS NATION.
IT IS VERY TIME SENSITIVE.
WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY HAVE THE PEOPLE WILLING TO DO THE WORK, WE HAVE TO HAVE
IT AT A VERY SPECIFIC POINT IN TIME.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO COME TOGETHER IN ORDER TO KEEP US FROM,
AGAIN, POTENTIALLY PUTTING AT RISK THAT ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO NINE BILLION
DOLLARS OF OUR PRODUCT IS RUINED.
COURTENAY: RAISING A SIMPLE QUESTION.
COATES: WHY DO WE WANT TO DO THAT TO OUR ECONOMY?
THERE ARE PLENTY OF JOBS, PLENTY OF JOBS WHY NOT LET THIS IMMIGRANT WORK FORCE
TAKE THE JOBS WE DON'T WANT TO DO.
GET THEM OUT OF THE SHADOWS.
ALLOW THEM TO PAY THEIR TAXES, ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILIES
HERE, SO THEY CAN CARE FOR THEM AND DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR OF THEM
GETTING DEPORTED.
ALLOW BUSINESSES TO TREAT THEM FAIRLY.
COMPLETE THE CONTRACTS THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AND LET'S ALL
ENJOY THE FRUITS OF EVERYONE'S LABOR AT EVERY STAGE.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL ONE THING LAWMAKERS DO AGREE ON IS THAT THE GROWTH IN
OKLAHOMA'S HISPANIC POPULATION CAN BE TRACED BACK TO A SINGLE FACTOR,
JOB AVAILABILITY.
EARLIER, I WAS ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH OKLAHOMA'S SECRETARY OF COMMERCE,
DAVE LOPEZ.
DAVE LOPEZ: CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS I THINK ARE A HUGE ADVANTAGE FOR THE
STATE.
IT'S A GLOBAL ECONOMY.
SO IF WE HAVE A MIXTURE OF CULTURES THAT WE DEPEND ON AS OUR CITIZENRY AS WE
DEPEND ON FOR OUR WORKFORCE, I THINK THAT'S AN ENRICHING FACTOR.
AND THEN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE SORT OF GROWTH THAT OKLAHOMA'S
EXPERIENCING, PARTICULARLY WITH ITS GROWTH IN THE HISPANIC SECTOR, ONE IT
SAYS IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE; AND WE SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN THAT.
I THINK IT ALSO SAYS THAT PEOPLE SENSE THIS IS A PLACE FOR OPPORTUNITY.
AND FOR THEM TO COME AND THINK OF THE NEW WORLD EXAMPLE THAT OKLAHOMA
PRESENTS, I THINK IS, AGAIN, A COMPLIMENT TO THE STATE.
BEYOND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT, AGAIN AS DEMOGRAPHICS CHANGE AND
THE GENERAL BASE OF POPULATION ISN'T GROWING AS FAST, THERE IS A MUCH
MORE DYNAMIC FACTOR IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EMPLOYERS WANTING MORE QUALITY EMPLOYEES, WELL IT
STARTS WITH HAVING THAT MORE.
AND SO THE ENERGIZING FORCE AND ADDITIONAL NUMBERS THAT WE GET WITH
THE VARIETY OF CULTURES THAT OKLAHOMA IS NOW ATTRACTING IS EXCITING TO
ME.
ROB: IS THE KEY TO THAT THROUGH EDUCATION?
LOPEZ: EDUCATION'S FUNDAMENTAL.
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU'RE NEW TO A COMMUNITY, NEW TO A CULTURE, I THINK
IT'S THE PREREQUISITE FOR EVERYTHING WE DO.
IT'S THE BUILDING BLOCK FOR ADVANCEMENT.
NOT ONLY DO WE THINK IN TERMS OF JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT, BUT THAT'S
WHAT ENRICHES OUR DEMOCRACY.
IT'S HOW OUR CITIZENRY IS BASED.
ROB: ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
DAVID LOPEZ, OKLAHOMA'S SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.
MALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA HORIZON IS NOW PORTABLE, JUST SUBSCRIBE TO OUR
WEEKLY PODCAST.
VISIT ITUNES DOT COM WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD OUR SHOW FOR YOUR LISTENING OR
VIEWING CONVENIENCE.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL HERE IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS, ENGLISH IS THE MOST WIDELY
SPOKEN.
BUT AFTER THAT IT IS NOT JAPANESE, FRENCH OR EVEN MANDRIN CHINESE THAT COMES
IN SECOND.
IT IS SPANISH, WHICH IS WHY ONE TULSA SCHOOL IS OFFERING A BILINGUAL
EDUCATION.
JOINING ME NOW IS OUR ANDY BARTH.
ANDY BARTH: WELL ROB, THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE IS EVOLVING ON A DAILY BASIS.
IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS, AS MANY AS EIGHTY-SEVEN MILLION BABY BOOMERS WILL
REITRE.
AND AS OF NOW THERE ARE ONLY FIFTY-SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE READY TO REPLENISH
AMERICAN JOBS.
AND, A GROWING TREND IN STATES LIKE TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, AND KANSAS IS
THAT HISPANICS ARE A GROWING PART OF THE WORK-READY AGE GROUP,
MAKING IT NECESSARY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME BILINGUAL.
ANDY: AT FIRST GLANCE, IT'S YOUR TYPICAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
BUT IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY, THE WORDS BEING SUNG ARE IN SPANISH.
PEGGY MOSS: OUR MISSION IS TO GROW SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL CITIZENS.
AND SO I THINK THAT EVERYTHING WE DO WE TRY TO TIE BACK TO THAT MISSION.
ANDY: INSIDE THESE CLASSROOMS YOU'LL HEAR AS MUCH SPANISH AS ENGLISH.
PEGGY MOSS IS THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL.
MOSS: IMMERSION IS BASICALLY LEARNING CONTENT AND ALL OF THE OBJECTIVES
AND SKILLS THAT YOU NORMALLY WOULD IN SCHOOL BUT THROUGH A SECOND
LANGUAGE.
OUR KIDS COME IN AT PRE-K AND THEY LEARN THE SAME CURRICULUM AS THE REST OF
TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY JUST LEARN IT THROUGH SPANISH.
AND IN THAT PROCESS THEY'RE ACTUALLY LEARNING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE.
AT THIS AGE THE CHILD'S BRAIN IS LIKE A SPONGE FOR LANGUAGE, THEY'RE STILL
LEARNING THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
ANDY: AND IN MICHELLE SAENZ'S KINDERGARDEN CLASS, THE LEARNING CURVE
IS SET PRETTY HIGH.
MICHELLE SAENZ: I THINK EVERY CHILD NEEDS TO HAVE A SECOND LANGUAGE BECAUSE
WE'RE SO DIVERSE AND ALSO BECAUSE IT'S MORE IMPORTANT FOR WHEN THEY'RE
OLDER THEY HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE JOB MARKET.
ANDY: FOR SAENZ, TEACHING KINDERGARDEN IS A FIRST.
BUT THE PAYOFF IS BIG.
SAENZ: I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH THE LITTLE ONES BEFORE, AND I HAVE ONES
THAT ARE ALREADY COUNTING BY TENS.
WORKING IN THIRD GRADE, I DIDN'T EVEN SEE THAT UNTIL THE END OF THIRD GRADE SO
IT'S REALLY EXCITING.
AND THEN I HAVE THOSE ONES THAT ARE TRYING THEIR HARDEST AND JUST HIT THOSE
LIGHT BULB MOMENTS WHEN THEY GET IT, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING.
ANDY: AND FOR STUDENTS BRISA FLORES AND KAI LUKENBAUGH, LEARNING IN A
SECOND LANGUAGE IS JUST NO BIG DEAL.
BRISA FLORES & KAI LUKENBAUGH: I LIKE SPEAKING SPANISH HERE;
BECAUSE WE LEARN HOW TO SPEAK TWO LANGUAGES.
I LIKE DOING THE SENTENCES AND DOING THE CALENDAR.
PEGGY MOSS: THE DUAL IMMERSION PART IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR
SCHOOL.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE PARENTS AT HOME WHO CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR HOMEWORK, IN THE
CLASSROOM IS WHERE THEY HAVE TO REALLY GET THEIR SKILLS AND STRATEGIES TO
BE ABLE TO TACKLE THE WORK THAT WE GIVE THEM.
AND IT'S THE SAME FOR THE ENGLISH SPEAKERS TOO BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS
USUALLY CAN'T HELP THEM WITH THEIR HOMEWORK EITHER BECAUSE THEY DON'T SPEAK
SPANISH.
SO THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT AND THEY'RE JUST LEARNING SIDE BY SIDE, TWO
DIFFERENT POPULATIONS THAT MIGHT NOT REALLY BE WORKING TOGETHER
OTHERWISE.
SO WE FIND THAT COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAM PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
AND ACTUALLY DEFINING PIECES OF OUR PROGRAM.
ANDY: BRIDGING A CULTURAL GAP WHILE CULTIVATING TODAY'S YOUNG MINDS.
ANDY: NOW WHEN THE SCHOOL BEGAN, IT ONLY OFFERED PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN.
BUT IT PLANS TO ADD ONE GRADE EACH YEAR THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
ROB: SO JUST HOW UNIQUE IS THIS TYPE OF SCHOOL?
ANDY: WELL ROB, THERE ARE TWO OTHER IMMERSION SCHOOLS IN THE TULSA AREA.
BUT THEY DON'T OFFER DUAL IMMERSION, WHICH IS WHERE STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT HALF
IN SPANISH AND THE OTHER TIME IN ENGLISH.
ROB: ALRIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH ANDY.
ANDY: YOU'RE WELCOME ROB.
NEXT TIME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, THE FUTURE OF OKLAHOMA'S GROWING
MANUFACTURING SECTOR.
DEIDRE MYERS: THERE HAS BEEN A BIG CHANGE AND AN EVOLUTION IN
MANUFACTURING.
AND MANUFACTURING TODAY IS NOT WHAT MANUFACTURING WAS LIKE IN THE 1970S OR
1980S.
PLUS, WE WILL MEET SOME OKLAHOMA STARS AT THIS YEAR'S ENTERTAINMENT
AWARDS; ON OKLAHOMA'S SHOW FOR THE HEARTLAND, OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL CONCERNS OVER THE BROWNING OF AMERICA IS CERTAINLY
ONE OF PERSPECTIVE.
THAT IS BECAUSE FOR A GUY NAMED MCCLENDON, I'M JUST NOT VERY WHITE, THANKS TO
THE NATIVE AMERICAN BLOOD COURSING THROUGH THESE VEINS.
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE, ALBIET MOSTLY APOLOGETICALY, JUST TO
COME OUT AND ASK.
WHAT ARE YOU?
A QUESTION THAT MAY GET POSED MORE AND MORE OFTEN, AS AMERICA BECOMES A
MAJORITY MINORITY NATION.
AND WHILE TALKING ABOUT ETHNICITY IS CERTAINLY A SUBJECT WE SHOULD EMBRACE,
IT CAN, AND EVEN HAS, IN MY OWN LIFE, TAKEN SOME RATHER ODD TURNS.
I WAS JUST A KID THE FIRST TIME I LEARNED THAT SOME PEOPLE SAW ME AS
DIFFERENT, WHEN A LITTLE GIRL WHO HAD A CRUSH ON ME, AND WAS BEING KIDDED
BY OUR CLASSMATES BLURTED OUT, I WOULD NEVER KISS HIM, BECAUSE HE IS NOT
WHITE AND TRUST ME ON THIS ONE, THAT WAS, MUCH TO MY OWN SURPRISE.
NOW LATER IN LIFE WHEN I WAS STARTING MY TELEVSION CAREER, I DID HAVE MY
SHARE OF REJECTION LETTERS BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE WHAT THEY CALLED, THE
RIGHT LOOK.
BUT IT WAS AFTER 9/11, WHEN I WAS STANDING IN MY UNDERWEAR BEHIND A
CURTAIN, IN FRANCE'S CHARLES DEGAULLE AIRPORT, GETTING INTEROGATED, THAT
IT BECAME PAINFULLY OBVIOUS, THAT BEING BROWNER IS NOT ALWAYS
BETTER.
IF YOU WOULD, MEET MY DAUGHTER TIFFANY.
WITH HER BRIGHT RED HAIR AND FAIR COMPLEXION, WE DO MAKE A RATHER UNIQUE
FAMILY PORTRAIT.
NOW A FEW YEARS BACK SHE WAS HELPING ME LAY SOD IN THE BACK YARD WHEN WE RAN
OUT.
SO WE JUMP IN THE TRUCK, COVERED IN DIRT TO GO PICK UP SOME MORE.
ON OUR WAY BACK I MADE A WIDE TURN BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY LOAD, AND LO AND
BEHOLD I GET PULLED OVER FOR TURNING INTO THE OUTSIDE LANE; GUILTY AS
CHARGED.
BUT IT WAS WHEN THE OFFICER BEGAN QUESTIONING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
MY RED-HEADED DAUGHTER AND ME, THE CONVERSATION BEGAN TO FEEL RACIST.
EVER SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN SKEPTICAL OF RECENTLY PASSED LAWS IN SOME STATES
THAT TURN LAW ENFORCEMENT INTO IMMIGRATION CONTROL, THAT JUST BY THE COLOR OF
SOMEONE'S SKIN, WE TRY TO DETERMINE THEIR CITIZENSHIP.
LIKE ANY CHANGE IN SOCIETY THERE WILL BE CERTAINLY GROWING PAINS WITH THIS
BROWNING OF AMERICA, BUT HERE IS WHY I AM OPTIMISTIC.
DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN SOME RECENT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, OUR
CULTURE IS ONE OF INCLUSION.
AND IT IS THAT DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT THAT IS ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST
STRENGTHS.
IF YOU LOOK AT PLACES LIKE JAPAN AND MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THEY HAVE A
RAPIDLY AGING WORKFORCE WITH A DIMINISHING NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE
THEIR PLACE.
YET THANKS TO OUR BOOMING YOUTH POPULATION, WHICH IS DUE ALMOST ENTIRELY TO
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
SO WHILE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS AN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUE FOR THIS
COUNTRY, IT MAY WELL BE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF IMMIGRANTS, WHETHER
UNDOCUMENTED OR NOT, WHO WILL INTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY AND BE PAYING THE
TAXES THAT SUPPORT THE SERVICES LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE THAT
MY GENERATION, NO MATTER THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN, WILL MOST CERTAINLY DEPEND
UPON.
I'M ROB MCCLENDON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK.